


your pain fits in the palm of my freezing hands

by delicats



Series: OTP Prompt Generator (Haikyuu!!) [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Victorian Era, Ballroom Dancing, Bickering, Enemies to Lovers, Homoeroticism? No we're going full homo right now, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Light Misunderstandings, M/M, Oblivious Semi Eita, Pining Shirabu Kenjirou, Prince Semi Eita, Shirabu Kenjirou is Semi Eita's Gay Awakening, Shirabu Kenjirou is a Little Shit, Shirabu's the Son of the King's Advisor, They have HISTORY, Tsundere Shirabu Kenjirou, shirabu's a little blushy boy, they're adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28999428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delicats/pseuds/delicats
Summary: Prompt:Person B has never seen Person A in a tuxedo/ball gown before.or,Eita starts to see Shirabu in a different light during the ball
Relationships: Semi Eita/Shirabu Kenjirou
Series: OTP Prompt Generator (Haikyuu!!) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2126076
Comments: 16
Kudos: 60





	your pain fits in the palm of my freezing hands

**Author's Note:**

> Fuck, I love SemiShira so much.
> 
> And I realized half of my works are medieval/royalty AUs. I really do have an obsession.
> 
> The song title comes from Ivy - Taylor Swift, cause when _arent_ my titles song lyrics?

Semi was exhausted. He always hated the exquisite parties his parents would host. They were so _calculated_ it was _painful._ He had to stand still and mostly agree with whatever the guests would talk to him about because God forbid he have _his own_ opinions. For everyone, here he was nothing more than a decoration piece. 

His parents would have to force him to talk to the guests, who he wanted nothing to do with. At least he was able to escape and now he stood, leaned against a pillar at a corner.

Things were always the busiest before four pm, when people would mostly just chat, after that food would be served and then things would get easier to deal with. He wouldn’t have to talk to any of the governors or nobles because he would be occupied by the women who would ask to have a dance with him.

He never minded the dances but he didn’t enjoy them. They just were never anything he looked forward to and right now he wanted to be alone.

However when he saw a familiar figure walk into the ballroom, he forgot any other thoughts that didn't include him. The boy was mesmerizing. It felt odd that no one else turned around to look at the boy, there was something about him that was so _alluring_.

He was clad in a black tailcoat with longer tails hanging behind to his mid-thighs and a V-shaped lapel. Semi couldn’t help but notice how _tight_ the boy’s dress pants were, usually tailcoats would be accompanied with loose pants but his clung tightly to his thighs. He was wearing a white vest and shirt underneath and had a red bow. It suited him. 

He leaned forward, trying to get a better glimpse at this boy.

And he looked oddly like _Shirabu_ , the King’s advisor’s son and Semi’s esquire.

It was surprising that he hadn’t realized him before. The boy had a noticeable appearance, or maybe Semi was saying that because he was forced to spend so much time together with the other.

He had caramel hair, and his face was framed by sloping bangs, which would look hideous on anyone but Shirabu made it work somehow. He had coppery eyes with yellow and orange specks and his blush pink lips were ones that no one could ever forget.

He was beautiful. Beautiful enough to pass as a woman. Semi had no shame in admitting that. _Everyone_ knew it was true. 

However his flattery appearance did not stop Semi from hating the younger. He was always passive aggressive towards Semi, which he would feign with faux politeness. He was one of the few people who talked back to him and though Semi respected that, it did not conceal the fact that Shirabu _clearly_ had a vendetta against him and was not doing it just to be cheeky. 

He just seemed to hate the prince. Semi didn’t know why and he never tried to find out. 

Though it was a shame, Semi did quite miss the snarky boy’s company. They used to be pretty close. Now there was this unspoken animosity between them.

Semi felt a finger poke his shoulder, he turned around and saw Shirabu looking up at him with a nonchalant expression. 

“My Liege, shouldn’t you be out there, interacting with the guests. This entire event was held for you, at least _try_ to enjoy it instead of sulking in a corner. Some women were asking me about you, they seem to want to dance with you.”

Was Semi going crazy or did Shirabu sound _mad_ at the end? He shrugged off the thought and responded,

“Why do _you_ care, you little brat? And stop calling me that.”

“Prince Eita, can you for _once_ act more responsibly? You are _not_ a toddler I should have to take care of all the time.” he snapped back in an angry but polite tone.

“Listen here, I do not want to dance right now. Okay? Leave me alone and tell those women to screw off. Why don’t _you_ dance with someone.”

His eyes widened. 

He looked cute. Not that Semi would admit that out loud.

The younger quickly regained his composure (though his cheeks were a stupidly bright shade of scarlet) and murmured, “there is only one person I would want to dance with.”

“What?” he leered. It ended up coming out snarkier than he expected and was that disappointment that flashed over the other’s face? And why was _he_ himself, feeling _disappointed_? Shirabu did not owe him anything and he did not mean anything to him. They hated each other.

“Nothing.” was all the younger uttered in response and leaned against the pillar. Now they were quite close, their backs almost touching.

Turning his head towards Shirabu, the former couldn’t help but notice how his eyelashes fluttered, they were so long and thick. Semi felt his mouth get dry so he ran his tongue over his bottom lip.

“Why do you not ask her then?” he questioned.

“Pardon?”

“Why do you not ask her to a dance? I want to see who captured _your_ bitter heart.”

“It’s not a-- It’s no one. And it would not matter anyways, _they_ do not want to dance.”

_‘_ They _. He didn’t say_ she _. Odd.’_ thought the young prince. He decided not to further press on the topic.

They stood in a comforting silence, only breaking it when they had some snappy remark to make. It was just their regular banter but the young prince felt his heart racing whenever he glanced at the smaller boy. He looked gorgeous. Though why was _that_ all that occupied the young prince's mind? Surely, he should be thinking of some maiden's beauty, not his esquire. And definitely not someone who hated him.

He still could not understand why was he thinking of _that_? He hates Shirabu. Does he not?

The prince was snapped out of his trance when he heard a feminine voice timidly ask to have a dance.

“Oh? Huh, a dance?”

She meekly nodded and Shirabu snorted which caused Semi to glare at him, momentarily forgetting about the woman until she cleared her throat to catch his attention.

“Err, sorry. But I have already offered to dance to all the songs with this person.” he replied while awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

“I get that you may not wish to dance with me but, do you _really_ have to lie?” she sobbed.

“No! I really am not lying!” 

Shirabu tilted his head in confusion and then Semi had the epiphany--

“I actually promised Shirabu-san here. He insisted and who am I to deny my best friend? Maybe next dance we can dance?”

She unhappily nodded and went off.

The caramel haired boy raised an eyebrow as to ask _‘what are you doing you dimwit?’_

“Don’t give me that look. And come on! We have to dance or else that woman will come again. Plus, it will keep the others away.”

“I do n--” the smaller stopped and yelped when he felt the prince grab his wrist and drag him to the dance floor. 

When they were there, Shirabu glared at him venomously. The young prince rolled his eyes and grabbed the younger by his waist and pulled him closer. Much closer than they had ever been.

He guided the smaller (and flustered) boy’s hands to his neck and brought them _even closer_ and now there was only an inch between the two. 

"Why am _I_ dancing the girl's part?" he hissed.

"Well, I am taller so it is only logical that I dance the boy's part," he answered as if it was the most obvious thing ever and Shirabu stuck his tongue out sourly.

_'Un-cute brat.'_ Thought the prince. He knew it was a lie but it did not matter.

Shirabu was breathing quickly and his face was painted by a pretty shade of scarlet and Semi noticed that freckles formed constellations on his cheekbones and nose. Semi’s heart was doing flips and he could hear the other’s seemed to mimic his own. 

Tightening his grip, Semi brought the smaller even nearer to him. For some reason, Semi seemed to crave the smaller's warmth, the smaller's touch.

He could feel everyone’s eyes boring on them, it wasn’t common for two men to dance together. His father would most definitely scold him for _indecent behaviour_. Though, that did not matter to the Prince right now.

All that did matter was the sour boy in his arms.

All that did matter was how ecstatic and glad he felt right now, swaying lazily with Shirabu. The song was replaced by a slower paced and more amorous one.

Semi could not help notice how close their faces were, he could not help but zone out when looking at the boy’s strawberry pink lips.

_They must be very soft,_ he thought. _What am I thinking? This is_ Shirabu _I can not possibly-_

Shirabu tilted and lowered his head to the side and now his bangs covered his eyes. Semi couldn’t help frown. He lifted one of his hands from the other’s waist, then with two fingers under his chin, he lifted his head, forcing Shirabu to look at him, inciting a pretty sounding gasp from the other. Semi thought that sound alone was enough to tie all the intestines and organs in his lower abdomen together.

Their faces were so, _so_ close, Semi looked down and he could not help but feel captivated by Shirabu’s strawberry lips, they looked so soft. He wondered if they actually were that soft.

“What are you doing?” he hissed at the taller boy through scarlet cheeks.

The caramel haired boy tucked his face into the crook of Semi’s nest (to hide his ever reddening face, Semi supposed). Their bodies were pressing against each other. The prince still had a firm grip around his waist and Shirabu was running his fingers through the hair at the back of Semi’s neck. It was an awfully intimate scene.

Far too intimate for just two acquaintances.

“Well, I need to prove I actually am dancing with you!” he whispered back, rather defensively. "Why else would I do this?"

He must have said something wrong because Shirabu let go of his neck and placed his arms on his shoulders, adding some distance between the two. Semi wanted him against his chest.

The younger scanned his face hard, with wide doe eyes (he didn’t look frantic). Whatever he found must have disappointed him, as he removed himself from Semi’s hold altogether and turned around.

Semi was frozen. He did not try to stop the other from leaving. He just stood there as Shirabu told him rather coldly while walking away, 

“I have to leave now, My Liege. You should dance with the poor girl. **I** **t’s not like one dance would matter or mean anything to you.** ”

With that he left.

. . .

Shirabu ran out to the back garden Semi and he would visit ever so often when they were children. 

The fish pond shone bright underneath the moonlight, the water was shimmering and the old bridge on top of it had vines intertwining into its rails. Shirabu stood against it, eyes trailing the flowing water. 

He sighed. His eyes were glistening with tears which blurred his vision. 

_Stupid Eita and his stupid hair,_ he thought.

He tried to wipe away the tears but as soon as he did so, more tears came. The tears fell and they fell until he cried himself a river. His eyes were red and blotchy, his snivelling and runny nose was cold. His entire body was cold.

Shirabu took a long and shaky breath, his head was down and he could see some colorful fish swimming. Looking closer, he realized they were guppies. 

Red bodies with black tails, white bodies with blue ends, purple bodies with black and white spots all over could be seen faintly by the help of the moonlight.

It was a shame really, they would have been so much more visible in the daylight but it could not be forgotten that the moon has its own effect. They blurged into colorful blobs floating in black liquid. It made them look surreal. It was pretty.

“Shirabu!”

A familiar voice (a voice he did not wish to hear right now) called out to him. He was shocked and couldn’t help but flinch at the assault the voice brought to the quiet of the night.

Though he knew exactly who that deep honey-like voice belonged to, he couldn’t help but slowly turn around and there at the start of the bridge he stood: Prince Semi Eita. He looked frantically at him.

He was about to leave when he heard quick footsteps and two hands caged him against the ivy covered rails of the bridge he used to visit with the other.

Ignoring his rapid heartbeat and scarlet colored face, he looked at the cause of it with the most venomous glare he could muster. Eita didn’t falter under it. Instead he looked like he expected this.

He sighed exasperatedly, “what do you want, _My Liege_?”

“I have told you to stop calling me that,” he stated.

“Does it even matter, _Your Highness_? And why are you here?”

“I-I came out here to find you.”

Shirabu quirked an eyebrow asking _‘Why?’._ He refused to pay mind to how his face further reddened and how his hands which grasped the rails under him, were now shaking.

Eita leaned forward, his face was an inch away from Shirabu’s, carefully studying him.

They were having a tiny staring contest. Semi was the first to break it. 

“Who was it that you wanted to dance with? And why did you even dance with me if you only wanted to dance with them?” he questioned carefully, in a soft and soothing voice. 

Shirabu could not help but shudder.

“Why’s it matter to you?” the caged boy bit back.

“Kenjirou, _please_.”

The encaptured sighed. He chewed on his bottom lip and looked down nervously. “I wanted to dance with him only but he doesn’t like me, in fact he hates me. Well he _should_ hate me. I ended up pushing him away as I felt too strongly towards him. Not to mention, he doesn’t wish to dance with anyone at all.”

He tried to word it as ambiguous as he could but the gasp that escaped Semi’s mouth and the knowing (and soft) glint in his eyes indicated he failed at doing so.

“Do I know him?” 

Shirabu thought his heart might combust, **Semi** **knew.** Despite all that, he still wore the same nonchalant expression he always had (though it did not hide his bright red face).

“You know him better than anyone else, _Eita_.”

It had been a while since Shirabu called the other by his given name. He wished he used it more often as the smile on Semi’s face could rival even the sun.

And Shirabu was sure that must be the answer he wanted because his frantic expression was replaced with a kind and calm one. He could not help but notice the pink that dusted the other’s cheeks.

He subconsciously leaned closer and examined the other. His silver hair quite literally shone underneath the mellow moonlight, his cocoa eyes were warm and loving. The younger melted under their gaze.

Quickly, he forced himself out of his trance and turned his head away, tears glossened his eyes. He shouldn’t feel this way, not towards a man and definitely not towards the Prince of Sendai.

Now he simply stared at his and Semi’s feet.

Semi gently grabbed his chin with two slender fingers, forcing the younger to meet his eyes. After he studied the younger’s face intently, he leaned forward and whispered into his ears,

“Has _he_ also held you this close, Kenjirou?”

His mouth was dry and couldn’t speak so he wordlessly nodded instead.

“Am _I_ him?”

Tears couldn’t help but fall out of Shirabu’s eyes, he knew he would be tongue tied if he tried to speak so he uttered a small ‘yes’. Semi would have missed it if he wasn’t listening intently to Shirabu’s every breath.

The next thing that Shirabu felt was two secure arms encircle his middle and pull him close into a familiar chest. He rested his face against the crook of his neck like he had during the dance. It was warm.

Shirabu _always_ found Semi’s touch extremely warm. He loved it.

His chest felt especially warm and the fact that Semi was ushering sweet words into his ears and stroking his hair did not help one bit. Once again, he let him do so. 

Finally after what felt like aeons, Shirabu lightly pushed Semi away, breaking the hug. The older looked at him puzzled.

“My Lie- Eita, _Eita._ ” he corrected himself. “Do not patronize me, please. I know you find me _odd_ and _disgusting_ but do not pity me. I will get over it, do not worry.”

Semi cupped his cheeks, forcing him to look at him. 

“Kenjirou, Kenjirou, _Kenjirou_ ,” Shirabu loved how Semi would say his name. “Please do not say that. After dancing with you I realized what I feel for you, it was yearning.”  
  


The younger’s breathe hitched but he said nothing, letting Semi continue,

“All along I had been yearning to hold you like this, I just never realized it. I felt extremely strongly when you were avoiding me, I confused it with hatred but now I have realized it could not be further from that. Now that I do get to hold you, **please** do not push me away.”

“What-what do you mean?” He could not believe his ears.  
  


“Kenjirou, I love you.” 

His eyes widened but this time he did not even try to compose himself.

“It is not very nice to play with someone’s feelings, My Prince. I know I _shouldn’t_ feel love or infatuation towards you but still, you should not try to give me false hope.”

“Kenjirou I am not joking! What do you think I am? An ass?”

“I hate to be blunt but yes.”

Semi sighed. “I know you do not hate it, you un-cute brat.” The way he said it made it extremely obvious it was a joke and Shirabu couldn’t help but smile. “If I did not love you would I do this?”

“Do wha-”  
  


He was cut short when he felt a pair of soft lips on his own. They were everything yet nothing like he imagined. Semi’s lips were so soft, he couldn’t help but crave more. It was gentle and slow, Shirabu wanted more.

He cupped Semi’s face bringing him closer and the older’s hands went to grab his waist. They were so slow and drowning in each other. It was perfectly lovely.

Semi felt intoxicated by the taste of strawberries Shirabu emitted. Subconsciously, the young prince ran his tongue over the other’s bottom lip and elicited a pretty keen from him. 

At that they pulled apart, not wishing to go further _right now_. Their hands remained where they were during the kiss, resting their foreheads against each other’s.

“You're perfect.” Semi breathed.

With crimson cheeks he replied, “shut up.”

“Never.” he gave him a cheeky grin. 

They stayed like that for a while, until Shirabu broke the silence,

“Eita, as much as I loved this, we just can’t. You’re the Prince and-”  
  
“ _Kenjirou_ . We _will_ make it work.”

  
He knew the prince wasn’t lying, they _would_ make it work and when they did, they would be sure to flaunt their love to everyone.

**Author's Note:**

> Also my irl school is starting on Monday so I'll post less frequently.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Kudos or comment, maybe? It really makes my day.


End file.
